


Wake Me

by starkteasfic



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, M/M, Redemption, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-12
Updated: 2017-02-12
Packaged: 2018-09-25 07:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9808757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkteasfic/pseuds/starkteasfic
Summary: The aftermath of sleep.





	

Waking wasn't really a challenge, but it hurt like a bitch.

“Well, look who decided to finally wake up.”

Tony groaned, eyes fluttering as he tried to adjust to bright lights every hospital ever seemed to have.

“James, I swear to all that is holy, if you accidentally hit the alert button again…”

“Not this time. Sleeping Ugly somehow found true love’s kiss and came back to us.”

Tony chuckled dryly at Pepper’s huff, and rasped out, “Please tell me the kiss was at least with my goatee styled.”

There was a long pause, Pepper’s breathing coming a little harsher and Rhodey almost tearing up, before Rhodey shot back, “Well, I wish I could, Bear Gryllis.”

“Honeybear, how could you?”

“Do you remember the last time I tried to style it?”

Tony couldn't stop the involuntary shudder that went through him. “I thought we weren't going to speak of ‘86 again.”

“You brought it up.”

“Pep,” Tony whined, turning hazy eyes on her. He fought back a yawn. “Pep, pep, peppy, peppers, why do you let him hurt me so? It hits me right the heart every time.”

With that, the whole room suddenly went silent, and Tony was mentally berating himself for not thinking before he spoke, even with the drugs coursing through his system.

Pepper’s blue eyes softened, and she took his hand. “I'm sorry, Tony. I'm so sorry.” They all knew she wasn't talking about Rhodey’s words.

Tony lifted a hand weakly, waving her apology away even as his blinked furiously. His eyelids seemed to grow heavier by the second. “Nothing to apologize for. I was the one…” He trailed off, losing the plot as he fought to stay awake.

“You were the one what, Tony? Because nothing you can say will change my mind.”

Sleep and sedatives loosened his tongue just before he drifted back off. “I was the one who should have known better. Nobody chooses me.”

* * *

“Take one more step, and I swear I'll shove my arrows so far up your ass, you'll become a bow for me to use.”

Clint took two steps back, hands up to where his wife could see them clearly. Laura narrowed her eyes and kept her grip tight on her long bow.

“Laura, please, let me explain…”

“Explain what, Clinton?” He flinched at the use of his full name, but she railroaded on. “Explain how you disappeared in the middle of the night with not so much as a bye? Explain how you decided that you, after having people run over you and do shit to you without your consent, you sided with a 90-something year old self-righteous asshole preaching the same bullshit? Explain how you let that little monster in a red coat coerce you into vilifying a civilian with PTSD, anxiety, and crippling self-esteem who housed you and is a loving uncle to your children as the enemy? I don't want to hear it.”

She took a steadying breath.

“But let me tell you what I had to explain lately. I had to explain to our three children that their father had to help keep everyone safe again two hours before he was seen decimating an airport for no reason. I then had to explain to those same three children that it was a misunderstanding,” she spat, making Clint flinched, “and that once you were home, everything would be fine. I had to explain to four UN peacekeepers that no, I didn't know what your plan was, while the kids sat in the next room, terrified. I had to explain to them that Daddy wasn't coming home yet because he thought he knew better than the world and didn't like it when the world fought back. I had to explain to them that their Uncle Tony was laying in a hospital bed and couldn't do science with them because their Uncle Steve had taken his shield and put him in a coma. I had to explain to Tony himself that just because you were a dickhead of epic proportions didn't mean that he was any less family, and that was before he went down in Siberia, so I have a fucking feeling I'm going to be having that explanation again fairly soon. So, no, Clint. I don't have it in me to hear your explainations when I've had way too many of my own lately.”

“Laura, I'm sorry.”

“Like I said before. If you don't want to know what it feels like to be shot at with arrows, I suggest you leave.”

* * *

 

“Tony.”

Maybe if he feigned sleep, she'd go away.

“I have been trained since three on espionage. I know you aren't asleep.”

Or maybe if he just simply ignored her.

“Tony.”

Please, if there was any god out there, even if it was a fake one like Thor, they would let him be.

“Antonshka.”

Tony huffed, cracking open one eye. He was too tired to be furious, but a small ember lit inside him. Natasha only used her endearment when she was either truly worried or in one of her loving moods. And as far as he was concerned, she had lost the right to treat him like family when she betrayed him at the airport.

Natasha’s face showed nothing, but her eyes were full of remorse. A true apology from her, but not one Tony would accept.

Not after how many times he had been duped by her. He had family like that before; they either belittled him through jealousy or stole his heart directly from his chest. And all ended up dead.

“Natasha.”

Her eyes shuttered as he felt his face harden into an impassive mask. She understood with just one word that right now, she wasn't welcome.

She turned and walked out the door, head high but a tear sliding down her cheek. She was careful to not let Tony see it.

* * *

 

“Rhodey.”

Rhodey tensed, shoulders hunching briefly before he turned around. “Staff Sergeant Wilson.”

Sam winced. “Yeah, I deserved that.”

“Damn right.”

“I'm glad you're okay.”

Rhodey narrowed his eyes at the other man. “Yeah, you seemed real concerned when I had sent you that letter. What was the response again? Oh, yeah. ‘Glad you survived the fall, but did you really think you didn't deserve some penance for being on the wrong team?’”

“That is not what I said. At all.”

“Well, paraphrasing seems to happen when you're able to read through utter bullshit.”

Sam opened his mouth, ready to argue, before shutting it and sighing. “I don't want to fight about this. I came to ask about Tony.”

“He's fine, as usual. And no, Steve is not allowed to see him now that he's awake. As his power of attorney, I decide who comes in to see him. And that...man is not getting anywhere near Tony.”

“Rhodey-”

“No, Sam. I'm done with having to pick up the pieces of my brother when someone else decides he needs to be broken. Have a nice night.”

* * *

Unsurprisingly, Steve still ended up at the end of Tony’s sick bed.

“You finally showed up.”

Steve shrugged a little self-consciously. “Well, I had four broken ribs, a broken leg, and a concussion. I'm surprised Sam even let me get this far.”

“Well, Clint does know all the best routes.” Tony smiled a little hesitantly. “I remember it all.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah. I think it might be time to have that talk.”

So Steve settled down on the edge of the bed, grabbed one of Tony's hand, and for once, listened to what Tony had to say.

Tony gave him the same courtesy.


End file.
